TWO LAYS UP OUT OF TWO: After a 19-1 treble on Monday and an 18-1 double on Sunday, Shamrock found winners hard to come by yesterday but redeemed the day with two lays up out of two: Red Army Blues (last of 10 at 11-2) and Badger Or Bust (unplaced 3-1 favourite). That brought his lays total since the column began to 10 out of 12.
20-1 DOUBLE BID: Today Shamrock backs Noel Meade’s attempt to land a double almost the length of Ireland between Downpatrick this afternoon and Killarney tonight, the third day of the glamorous festival meeting. The double would come to around 20-1 at morning Betdaq offers.
How’s this for a long-range double. Noel Meade, who has already landed a treble at a July festival, today sends two of those winners North and South from his Navan base today, bidding for a quite spectacular double.
Meade has booked two of the best jockeys in the business – Paul Carberry and Davy Condon –for his Bellewstown winners London Bridge and Original Option to spread his luck 286 miles apart from County Down at 2.45 to the deep south-west of Ireland at 8.25.
2.45 Downpatrick: Meade takes the ex-Gosden London Bridge to the Northern Ireland meeting, where he’s leading trainer, with a favourite’s chance after the gelding broke his maiden at Bellewstown despite not handling the gradients at the track. Condon takes over from Carberry who has the Original Option ride at Killarney tonight.
5.40 Killarney: Aidan O’Brien is going for a four-timer in this with Amen, a colt once regarded as a Derby contender, and Sam Lord’s Castle who came away eight lengths clear of a maiden field when second, just pipped by Kastania, at Fairyhouse.
Even at this trip, on this triangular track, Sam’s high draw isn’t helpful; nor is his bridesmaid’s profile. So I think it’s between Amen and Jessica Harrington’s Takeyourcapoff, installed 5 and 3 respectively.
Jessica’s form at the festival this week is 3312 and her mare looks cast-iron for a place but three-year-olds have a clean sweep of five out of five in this race since 2006.
Incidentally, the Signposts (Ireland) figures in the Racing Post had not been updated in my edition, with Jessica showing that abysmal Killarney losing run of 1819 days with 54 consecutive losers. Dundrum it was that broke the sequence last night.
7.50 Killarney: The stats say ‘not much chance’ if your horse is carrying 11st or more. All five winners, and 12 of the 15 placed horses, since 2006 have carried less than that.
Adrianeo, then, with Ruby Walsh 70% for Tony Martin on this course, looks something to bet on after his stable debut when travelling strongly to beyond this stage in a three-miler at Perth.
8.25 Killarney: Original Option is Noel Meade first Killarney runner of the week, ironically a winner in May at Downpatrick, where the first leg of Meade’s long-range double is running this afternoon.
Define and Sebadee have both been well beaten in this race before; Sea Master’s Galway yard hasn’t had a winner this season; Gormanstown Cuckoo is a bit of a character; they can’t seem to find the right trip for Battling Boru; and No One Tells Me has to give weight already, even though they’re claiming off him.
That leaves Ordinary Man and Peccatorum as my dangers to Original Option. Ordinary Man didn’t beat much at Clonmel but Peccatorum, only four, is progressive and a boy rider won this with a lightweight last year.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Adrianeo (7.50 Killarney)
NEXT BEST: Original Option (8.25 Killarney)
EACH-WAY: Amen (5.40 Killarney), Peccatorum (8.25 Killarney)
DAQ TRIO: London Bridge (2.45 Downpatrick), Adrianeo (7.50 Killarney), Original Option (8.25 Killarney)
